Combined vaporizer and carbureter for liquid fuel



1. F. BEAUMONT AND G. n. MOORE. COMBINED VAPURIZER AND CARBURETER FORUQUID FUEL- APPLICAHON FILD SEPT.1, l9l6 Patented Jan. 18. 1921.

2 SHEETS SHEETI X V 5 \Y M 0 18 M ,a 1a 19 J. F. BEAUMONT-AND G. D.MOORE.

COMBINED VAPOBI'ZER AND CARBURETER FOR L|QU|D FUEL.

-' APPLICATION FILED S-EPTVI, K916,

1,365,651. Patented Jan. 18,1921.

RUG 72/6 0 Z'S ddm'es FBeaumoni Ge ovgefl 00 va it fovn/ey UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

COMBINED VAPORIZER AND CARIBURETER FOR LIQUID FUEL.

Application filed September 1, W16.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that We, JAMES F. BEAU- MONT andGEORGE D. Moonn, both citizens of the United States residing atWVorcester, in the count of l orcester and Commonwealth ofhfhssachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in CombinedVaporizers and (Jarbureters for Liquid Fuel, of which the following,together wlth the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The present invention relates to devices for forming a combustiblecharge, by a mixture of hydrocarbon and air, for use in internalcombustion engines and the like. More particularly, the invention isconcerned with the vaporization, as distinguished from the aspiration,of the liquid fuel, such as gasolene, kerosene, or other hydrocarbon,whereby the mixture of the same with the air is facilitated and renderedmore intimate, and whereby the explosive charge formed by said mixtureis capable of complete combustion, to deliver the maximum amount ofpower, because of the presence of the h drocarbon in gaseous form,instead of in the form of a more or less finely divided mist.

The invention resides primarily in the embodiment of a principle notheretofore employed in devices of this class, whereby the liquid fuel issubjected in successive small portions to the action of heat, 1n orderto insure its vaporization.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a View in section of one suchembodiment, illustratingthe adaptation of the foregolng principle, andFig. 2 is a perspective View of a modified form of the invention; but itis to be understood that these constructions which are fully describedhereinafter, are illustrative merely, and that the improvements aresusceptible of wide variation therefrom, both asregards theinstrumentalities employed to carry on the vaporization, and the methodsby which the explosive mixture is formed, without departing from thespirit of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

Referring by way of example to Fig.

. 1, 1 indicates a shell, here shown as of general cylindrical form, andhaving on one side an extension 2 to accommodate a float 3, which may beof the type ordinarily employed in carbureters at the present time inuse. This float controls the flow of liquid Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

Serial No. 118,597.

hydrocarbon to the shell 1, by means of a valve f in a fuel inletpassage 5, it being understood that the level of the liquid in the shell1 is maintained constant by the action of said float and valve.

The shell 1 provides a passage 6 and a butterfly valve 7 in said passagecontrols the flow of eiqolosi'vi-i mixture to the intake manifold of theengine. Preferably in alinement with the passage 6 is an air intakemember 8, opening through the bottom ofthe shell and having a valve 9seat :lng lightly at its upper end to control the passage of air intothe shell. The stem 10 of said valve passes through bearings 11, 11, andcarries on its lower end a spring 12 and an. adjusting nut 13,by whichthe force with which the valve 9 is held seated, in opposition to thesuction created by the engine cylinders, may be varied at will, in themanner ordinarily adopted in carburetors now in use. The air intakemechanism, so far described, of itself, forms no part of the presentinvention, except in so far as it offers an advantageous arrangement forthe disposition of the fuel vaporizing instrumentalities within theshell 1, both as regards the vaporization of the fuel and the admixturetherewith of air, as hereinafter described; but it is to be understoodthat any other arrangement of air intake devices may be employed, themember 8, in the form shown, being illustrative merely of an expedientadopted to provide support for the vaporizing instrumentali ties, ashereinafter described; obviously, any other means of support orsuspension maybe employed.

0 the above ends, the member 8 is made of suflicient diameter to fitsnugly within and support a tubular wick 1.4L, whose lower end, asshown, projects below the level of the liquid fuel in shell 1, asmaintained therein by the float 3. The upper end of said wick preferablyextends above, and surrounds the valve controlled outlet of member 8.The invention contemplates the applica tion of heat, in order tovaporize the liquid fuel, with which the wick 14 becomes saturated, andto this end an electric resistance element, preferably a wire 15, asshown, is employed, the ends thereof being connected to a battery orother source of electrical supply. The wire 15 may with advantage besewed or otherwise drawn through the fabric of the wick, near the upperedge thereof,

in Successive loops, as shown in the drawing, it being obvious that thisdisposition of the heating element enables a wire of considerable lengthto be employed and brings a considerable portion of its surface intoactual direct contact with the liquid to be evaporated.

The action which occurs when a current is passed through the wire 15 isclosely akin to what takes place in an ordinary oil burning lamp, usinga wick; in the lamp the fuel is consumed at the top of the wick, whilein the present instance, there is no combustion of the fuel, but enoughheat is supplied, at a proper temperature, to vaporize the liquid, andthereby to promote precisely the same capillary movement of the liquidupward through the wick, as occurs in the case of the lamp. The vaporthus driven oil? by heat from the liquid with which the top of the wickis continually replenished, mixes with air drawn by suction of thecylinders past the valve 9, and also, if desired, with airentering-shell 1 through a series of permanent apertures 16, 16,preferably surrounding the wick in the Zone where vapor is thus formed,themixturepassing to the engine as a dry gas, free from the mist ormoisture characterizing the mixture in devices where the liquid fuel isaspirated.

With the engine running, a portion of the hot exhaust gasestherefrommay, if desired, be'led' by a pipe 17" into a jacket 18 surrounding thepassage 6, in order to heat the mixture; moreover, these exhaust gasesmay be led by a pipe 19 into a jacket 20, with the wall of which thewick 1 L is in contact for practically its entire length, said gasesdischarging through a pipe 21 to the atmosphere. The heat radiated byjacket 20 through the wick not only promotes the cap illary action abovereferred to, but causes rapid'evaporation of the liquid over the entireoutside surface of the wick, and thereby, once the engine has beenstarted, may, in many cases, dispense with the necessity of continuingthe electric current through the wire 15'. The vapor thus produced mixeswith the air to form the combustible charge for the engine; if desired,additional air may be supplied through openings 22 in member 8, said airpassing into a space 23 inclosed by wick 14, and becoming thoroughlyimpregnated with vapor in passing through the porous material of thewick, or through the liquid into which said wick dips.

It will be clear that the term wick as used herein and in the appendedclaims is in no sense to be construed as a limitation, but that itcontemplates any element or material, of a fibrous nature or otherwise,which is capable of adaptation to the broad principle which constitutesthe essence of the present invention, namely the application of heat toevaporate liquid fuel supplied by capillary action. Moreover, it isobvious that the form, configuration, number and arrangement of wicksused l0 carry out the inrention is innnaterial.

For example, in the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2, aplurality of longitudinally elongated. wicks 2i are provided, the same,for convenience of support, being disposed upright in longitudinalslotoil' a ir'iine 26. The latter ported in any suitable manner, as byh. within a shell or casing 28, so that the lower edges of the wicks 2aare submerged in the liquid fuel contained in the bottom o l said.casing. The level of liquid fuel may be maintained con stant by a float5 and wire 30, as n the previously ClBSi ribed form, these parts beingdisposed, if desired, in an extension ll of the casing 28.

The same method of applying heat to the wicks fZ-l may be employed, asin the previously described form, namely by looping a wire 32, or otherresistance element, through the fabric of each wick, or, if de sired, aresistance element in the form of a metallic strip 33, perforated, ifdesired, as shown n one of the wicks 2st in .liig. 2, may be doubledover to embrace the edge oi the wick. At each end, each of theresistance elements may be connected to a bar or lead 34, and the twobars ll: placed in circuit with a source of electrical supply. Airontering through an opening 35 at one end of the shell passes over thewicks ill and llllXCri with the fuel, driven off by heat, in the form ofvapor, therefrom, as in the previously described form. The combustiblemixture thus formed is drawn from the opposite end of casing 28througl'l the usual valved passage 36 which is connected with themanifold of the engine.

Ti e claim,

1. In a carburetor for an internal combustion engine, the combinationwith a vertical support for a capillary wick, a capillary wick extendingabove said support and having its lower end immersed in a liquid fuel,of an electric heating element engaging the upper and exposed edge ofsaid wick, consisting of a spiral coil of wire with each convolutionpassing through the edge of the wick.

2. In a carburcter for an internal combus tion engine, the combinationwith a vertical support for a capillary wick, and a capillary H wickexposed above said support and having its lower end immersed in a liquidfuel, of an electric heating element engaging the upper and exposed edgeof said wick, with portions of said heating element extending into theatmosphere above the edge of the wick.

3. In a carbureter for an internal com bustion engine, a frameworkprovided with longitudinal slots, .capillary wicks held in said slots,with their lower ends immersed in a 1i uid fuel and with their upperends expose and an electric heating element engaging the upper exposededges of said wicks, consisting of a spiral coil of wire, with eachconvolution passing through the edge of the wick.

4. In a carbureter for an internal combustion engine, comprising asupport for a capillary wick having its upper end exposed above saidsupport with its lower end immersed in a liquid fuel, of an electricheating element embracing the upper and exposed end of said wick.

5. In a carbureter for an internal combustion engine, comprising asupport for a capillary wick having its upper end exposed. above saidsupport, with its lower end immersed in a liquid fuel, of an electgicheat ing element in direct contact with the upper and exposed edge ofsaid wick wholly above said support, wlth a portion of said heatingelement exposed to the atmosphere above said support.

JAMES F. BEAUMONT. GEORGE D. MOORE. Witnesses:

PENELOPE CoMBERBAoH, NELLIE WHALEN.

